Musicals can Happen: Even on the Run!
by NorahJones
Summary: What do you get when you mix High School Musical with brain attacks, lost memories, wings, Fang, and Maximum Ride?  Either a very confused reader, or the Start of Something New.  HSMMR crossover.
1. Prologue: Is this the Real Life?

**Flashback:** **"You failed us," sad the man in the white coat. Somehow my brain managed to register two words: RUN AWAY!**

**"We are going to start over," continued the man, "Or, at least, make it appear that way. But," here he smiled, a sick and scary smile this nightmare seemed to be full of, "You won't ever know, because you won't remember any of this. Say goodbye to your memories, Maximum Ride."**

**Burning pain flashed through my skull and everything went black. How cliché.**

**-End Flashback-**

I woke with a start, panting and sweaty. This was the third night in a row I'd had this nightmare.

Every night there was the same creepy whitecoats, horrible antisepticy smell, and awful experiments and tests gone wrong. But the strangest part was what the scientist had called me:

Maximum Ride.

Whenever I woke the name would be echoing in my head like a taunt; "We know something you don't!" But I'm not her! Maximum Ride, I mean. It's an awesome name, what I would choose for myself if I had the choice. The name sounds familiar, and I have no idea why, because I'm someone else entirely:

Gabriella Montez.


	2. Start of Something New, part I

**Okay, you guys: Here is the first chapter. I forgot to say last time that I, unfortunately, do NOT own Maximum Ride. I also, thankfully, do NOT own High School Musical. But there is something else I need to talk about.**

**When I got home from school, I saw I had 6 Reviews. So, special thanks to firesilk, MuteMelody, AsanteSanaSquashBanana, Bellaness, Ur.Fav.Gurl.Is.Here, and Ballerinagirl. You guys made me so happy!!!!!**

**But then I saw I had 110 hits. 110!!! That is really not nice, people!! Please review my story if you read it, because then I know how I can improve. Okay?**

**Anyways, here is first part of Chapter 1. When you're done reading, make sure to read the thing at the bottom.**

**Thanks!**

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Troy POV:

I felt like I forgot something.

I know that's a weird and almost stupid way to start, but hey: nobody's perfect. Especially me.

Something is missing form the picture of my life; something that was there before, but now it's gone, and I know I better find it soon or I'm gonna fall apart.

I don't know why, but now my head is aching all the time, and I keep having these dreams 'bout some girl with wings. As in, _bird wings._ And she always looks really familiar, like I've known her my entire life, just I can't remember her name. I know she isn't part of my imagination, because my imagination isn't all that great.

Whatever. I'll figure it out eventually.

My name's Troy Bolton, (I think…) even though I seriously hate it. I don't know why, but I keep thinking my name is something else. My personality is not a Troy _at all._ I don't even know where I got that name, as my dad's last name is actually Batchelder. His full name is Jeb Batchelder.

It's kind of funny. I used to think I could trust my dad on anything, but these last days he has been acting pretty suspiciously, like he's up to something he shouldn't be doing. And sometimes I walk into the room he is in. Normal, right? But he's talking on the phone, and then he _always stops talking when I come in._ So it got me thinking; am I really related to this guy? And how did I get _my_ last name?

I go to East High in Albuquerque, New Mexico with my best friend, Chad. And, as much fun it really has been talking to you, I've got to go pack my bags. My family (???) is going on vacation for winter break, which means basketball, basketball, basketball.

Unfortunately, basketball seems to be the life I'm stuck with, because I'm the captain of the team at school. And my dad is the coach.

Chapter 1- the Start of Something New

"Gabi, its New Years Eve. Enough reading." My mom swept into the room and gently took the book out of my hands.

Incase you haven't figured it out yet, I was on vacation with her and my little sister, Angel, at a ski lodge, somewhere in the world. Thanks to my mom's law firm we move all the time, so I never get a chance to make real friends. So, instead of celebrating the New Year with my nonexistent best buds, my mom dragged Angel and me to this lovely snow pile.

I looked up into her eyes, and for a moment the smell of chocolate chip cookies and images of Arizona flashed through my mind. What was that all about?

"But mom, I'm almost done!" I said, desperately reaching for my book.

"The teen party? I laid out your best clothes. Come get ready." She grabbed my hand, but I planted my feet in the ground.

"Can I at least have my book back?" I pleaded. She looked hesitant, then handed it over with a resigned expression. She's a great mom.

"Thank you." I said, while smiling, and went to get ready.

This was going to be a real party. (Note: It's called _sarcasm_.)

* * *

Troy's POV: 

Huh. So here I am, at the ski lodge with my dad, aka the Suspicious/Mysterious Basketball Coach. Oh, joy.

"Keep goin' left, Troy. Got to come to the Championship Game more expecting. "

Who cares about the stupid Championship game? Oh, yeah. He does. I'm supposed to. Funny, right now I feel like I have bigger problems. Just I don't know what they are. Back to Basketball, now.

"By going left?" I had my back to him, but I could imagine his face: Sweaty, bored, but excited at the same time. Bored with me, excited 'bout 'ball.

"Yeah! He looks middle, you take it downtown!" I nod my head.

"Alright. Like this?" I fake right, then turn to the left and spin 180 degrees, so I face my dad and the hoop. I meet his eyes for a split second, and feelings I don't understand engulf me; confusion, resentment, love, mistrust. But I just ignore it and shoot. The ball sails upward in a perfect arc, and sinks into the net. I cheer without feeling, mentally storing what happened earlier into my mental filing cabinet under 'EXAMINE AT FIRST CHANCE'. Yeah, I know I'm crazy. No need to rub it in.

"Boys?" my mom called as she came into the room, looking like a grasshopper in her green velvet dress.

"Did we really fly all this way to play more basketball?" I glance at dad, and again, with eye contact comes a rush of memories; a house on a cliff, the smell of antiseptic, sort of vague happiness, then extreme anger. What is wrong with me?

I mentally shook my head, and at the same time, dad and I say, "Yeah." Oh, yeah. The answer to the basketball question.

Mom looked annoyed. "It's the last night of vacation! The Party?" Dad nodded, like he knew. "Right. The party. New Years Eve."

"Troy, there's a kids party in the freestyle room." Mom gestured downstairs and I realized she was talking to me. Sorry. Spacing out again.

"_Kids_ Party?" This was going to be fun.

"Young adults!" She snapped. "Now go! Shower up!" I bounced the ball and dribbled towards her.

"One more!" She rolled her eyes in an exasperated way.

"One more!" I held out one finger so that she had a visual reference.

"Last one," dad added. If he _was_ my dad. We got into position, and then I spun and jumped, doing the new trick he just taught me. Perfect Shot. As I was in the air, it seemed like I stayed up there longer than I should have. Sound in the background faded out, and I was just hanging in the air next to the hoop. I hesitantly dropped the ball in, and sound came rushing back. I landed gently on the ground, and dad clapped me on the back. "Now that's the way to end it!"

Maybe I'm just paranoid, but it seemed sort of like he was staring at me. That was when I suddenly became aware of the fact that anyone could have seen me up there. Seen me hanging in the air next to the hoop.

But nobody else felt the itching in between my shoulder blades, how at home I felt in the sky. It was almost as if I had, well, as if I had…

…Wings.

* * *

Gabriella POV: 

I glanced in the mirror. Long, blonde hair, fair skin, light blue long sleeved top and black pants. I looked good, but I didn't look like _me._ Focusing all my energy on the image in the mirror, I thought about the way I normally look, the way I should look. As I watched, the image changed to my usual dark hair and coffee colored skin.

That had been happening a lot lately. The whole wrong-image-in-the-mirror thing. Which is funny because I have never looked like that in my life. I've always been Gabriella, and Gabriella always has dark hair and caramel skin. Something was going on…

Just then, Angel came into the room, holding her head in her hands. Oh, no.

"Angel, what's wrong?" I cried, moving away from the mirror and reaching over to hug here. "What happened?" I swear, if anybody hurt my baby sister, I was going to hurt them, big time.

Angel cringed, and said, "I'm okay, Gabi. I just have a headache. A really big one." But from the look on her face, I could tell there was something else. Something she wasn't telling me, and that made me feel really bad.

"Gabriella." Angel said sternly, and I was amazed at how much power and control she could put into her sweet nine-year old voice. I could tell she was going to be a leader someday.

"I'm seriously fine," she told me. "And trust me on this: if it gets any worse, you will be the first to know." She smiled at me. "Okay?"

Angel is a great kid.

"Okay." I said, smiling back. I gave her an extra hug for good measure, and then got up. "Time for party torture!"

Angel suddenly stopped smiling, which is not a good sign.

"What?" I asked. Now I was worried.

"Uh, just…Don't be surprised if something unexpected happens. Try to make the most of it. Do you promise?" Her blue eyes were staring intensely into mine, her voice filled with emotion.

"What exactly am I promising, again?"

Angel sighed, and looked at the floor. "I'm not exactly sure myself," she admitted weakly. "But if you meet someone you…I don't know the right phrase. Click with? Connect with?"

"You mean, someone I feel like I can trust, or someone I like?" I asked sort of getting the idea.

"Yeeaaahhh," Angel said slowly. "Or maybe, you feel like you know them, but you can't remember where they're from. _If you meet someone you think is important, take the time to talk to them. _Okay

I'm usually a really shy person, so I definitely wouldn't do this for just anybody. But something in the back of my head said, "Listen to her!" So I did.

"Alright. But I want you to know you're the only person, _only person,_ I would do this for. And don't expect me to do it again!"

Angel's grin was blinding. She hugged me so hard I almost suffocated, and then kissed me on the cheek.

"Thanks, Gabi! You are the best big sister in the Whole Wide World! And remember, whatever happens, I will be with you 100 percent of the way!"

Aww! She is so cute! "Okay Ange. You're the best, too. But now I have to go to the party, or nothing will happen! Sorry, I take that back. Mom will yell at me, which is definitely something."

She giggled. "Alright. Bye, Gabi! I love you!"

"Love you, too, Angel. See ya!"

And with that I grabbed my book and headed out the door.

The party was cool, I guess, if you like bad karaoke, and lots of LOUD NOISE. I just found a chair and tried to finish my book.

But then the music stopped.

Somebody said, "Now who's gonna rock this house next?!"

And all of the sudden a spotlight was shining on me.

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**Okay, Hi I'm back. I just wanted to let you know that I already have the rest of the chapter written and ready to post. And I will...**

**...If I get 25 reviews. Think you can handle that? 'Cause you are never going to see the rest of my story if you don't tell me what you think of it.**

**Okay? Good.**

**And I know I seem like a total jerk right now, but you guys really hurt my feelings.**

**Please Review? (Bambi Eyes)**


	3. Start of Something New is Done!

Okay, I am so happy right now! I know it's like 8:02 PM, but i just finished the last part of this chapter. 3611 words! YAY!!

Alright, I've got a bunch of things to say:

Thanks to SilverwingedShadow for permission to use her super-cool phrase 'emotion explosion'! I love that! Big round of applause!

I obviously don't own Maximum Ride. Do I _look _like JP?

Okay, and in this chapter I use one line from Vanessa Hudgens' Never Underestimate a Girl, Hilary Duff's So Yesterday, and I briefly mention Britney Spears. Just to make something clear: I am **_not_** saying I like these people. But then again, I am **_not _**saying I don't like them. I just thought those lines would fit into the story.

And, I am **_not_** implying that Vanessa Hudgens is a good singer, or a bad singer. That's your call. In this story, **Max **is Gabriella (temporarily) and so I don't care how you picture her voice: in the story, **Max **is a good singer.

Also, I used the phrase 'singer geek'. I hope that doesn't offend anyone.

And lastly, I would like to thank everyone that read or reviewed my story. Reviews really help, 'cuz that let's me know what people think of it. And now I have a tone of homework to do and I better sign off.

Thanks again!

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Alright, for the song,

**Bold,_ Italic, __and underlined_** (all 3) Max and Fan- I mean, **Troy** and **Gabriella **singing together.

Just Underlined Just Max

**Just Bold **Just Fang

_Just Italics_ Someones thoughts. (Max or Fang)

* * *

Troy's POV:

Oh, yeah. Nice party.

It had everything! I mean high-calorie junk food, lousy country karaoke, awkward dancing, and groups of bored teens. I mean, seriously. It doesn't get worse than this.

Sorry. I take that back.

The karaoke-er's had finished, and so the guy running the whole thing said, "Now who's gonna rock this house next?" There was excited murmuring, and then a spot light was being aimed on me. _**Now**_ is when things can't get any worse.

Smart, buddy. Real smart.

Guys started pushing me onto the stage, going, "Come on, dude. It's your turn!"

Don't get me wrong, I was totally protesting! I've never really branched out from the whole Basketball Boy thing. So as they pushed me up onto the stage, I was all, "No, guys I can't sing! Really! Guys?!!" But they actually _ignored _me.

Soon I was on the stage, (much to my regret,) and I saw out of the corner of my eye they were also pushing a girl about my age on, too. She had dark curly hair, and she was wearing a blue shirt with black pants. She wasn't protesting, though. Probably conserving her air. She looked ready to faint.

The host-guy comes on stage and pats us both on the back saying, "You know, someday you guys might thank me for this. Or not."

I glared at him. What was he trying to say? I could handle this. Don't know about Ms. Stage Fright over there, though. But then the music started, and there wasn't anything I could do but get ready to sing.

Maybe this _was_ a disaster waiting to happen. The music was sort of slow and depressing, but I knew it was going to turn into pop soon. Great. Oops! That was my line.

**Livin' in my own world,**

**Didn't understand,**

**That anything can happen**

**When you take a chance.**

I repeat my earlier assessment: Great. Corny lyrics on top of everything else. You know, now that I think about it, this kind of thing only happens in movies…

Now would be a good time to leave. So I'm trying to get off the stage when…_She _starts to sing.

I never believed in

What I couldn't see.

I feel like someone hit me in the head with a mallet. This girl, this, Ms. I'm-about-to-faint-'cuz-I-don't-want-to-sing-so-please-either-catch-me-or-get-me-out-of-this!! Person can sing really well. REALLY well.

I never opened my heart

And then this little girl's voice in my head says, "Troy! Ooh now!!" And then I hear myself "_Ooh,"_ into the microphone. Actually, it was more of an 'o-oh'. Oh my god. I'm turning into a singer geek!

To all the possibilities, ooh.

Okay. Just in case you're worried about me, that 'ooh' did NOT come from me!

And somehow, the song was actually starting to sound good.

Did I just _say _that?! Sorry. Just goin' crazy over here…

* * *

Gabriella's POV: 

Oh, no. This is not good.

I'm really trying not to panic here, but do you remember what I said about being a shy person? Well, that was not an understatement. So, basically singing in front of a crowd of strangers is not how I want to spend my free time.

Some random guy held out his hand to me, and started pulling me towards the stage. I glanced around looking for an escape route, and that was when I realized they were also pushing up another guy. Fantastic. It was going to be a duet.

But the guy…There was something about him. It seemed sort of like I new him from somewhere. And then Angel's words rang out in my head.

"_Or maybe, you feel like you know them, but you can't remember where they're from. __**If you meet someone you think is important, take the time to talk to them. **__Do you promise?__**"**_

This must be the guy she was talking about. And I had gone and basically promised I would sing with him. I hate this vacation.

Angel's voice rang out in my head, almost like she was talking to me. Or maybe I'm finally going crazy. "Whatever happens, Gabi, I will be with you 100 of the way." Hmm. Let's put that to a test.

Somehow I found the courage to stumble up the stage and I stood near the microphone, my arms folded across my chest. What had I gotten myself into? And then _he _started to sing.

**Livin' in my own world,**

**Didn't understand, **

**That anything can happen,**

**When you take a chance.**

I glanced at him. He was trying to leave the stage, and I promised I would talk to him. Here goes nothing.

I never believed in

What I couldn't see.

He immediately stopped try to find the exit and sort of just stared at me. Thanks buddy. That really helps with the whole nervous-thing. Well, now I guess I have a better chance of talking to him.

I subconsciously fluffed my hair and smoothed out my pants while I started the third line:

I never opened my heart.

And then _he_ leaned into the microphone and went "O-oh," Sort of as a question, like, "And _why_ did I do that?" That made me grin he most I can while trying not to be sick.

To all the possibilities, ooh.

Huh. All the possibilities? Was this a Sign? Something to show me I'm not insane? Anything is possible, so-

_**I know**_ that something has changed

Duh! I'm singing at a party! If that's not enough, add the fact that I haven't conked out yet. And, BONUS, people weren't throwing things at me!

_**Never felt this way**_

Almost happy? And I was actually having fun. But I think the best part was that I didn't really care that much about what people thought about me. For the meantime, anyway.

And right here tonight

_**This could be the Start**_

_**Of Something New**_

It feels so right _to_

_**Be here with you, oh**_

_**And now, looking in your eyes**_

I feel in my heart, **(Feel in my heart)**

The Start of Somethin' New

**Oh, yeah**

Okay. Did you notice how these unbelievably corny lyrics actually go with my life? I mean, seriously, "I never opened my heart to all the possibilities," and "I know something has changed, never felt this way," are pretty darn close to what I'm going through right now. This sort of thing, memories, flashbacks and nightmares had never really happened until this week. And right here tonight, this could be the start of something new.

**Now, who'd have ever thought that, mmm,**

_**We'd both be here tonight.**_

_He _was singing now. He even took off his jacket and threw it into the crowd gathering around the stage. Everyone cheered, and he smiled. Well, I guess _some_one was comfortable with this situation. The only reason I was doing this was because I made some ridiculous promise that ended in unpleasant results.

"Is that the real reason?" a voice inside my head hissed at me. The thing about this voice was that it didn't even sound human. In fact, it sounded machine. What??? _Who are you and what are you doing inside my head?! _I snarled at myself, and if you don't think anything is wrong with that sentence, you better read it again.

"I like to think of myself as your friend. Someone that loves you very much, Maximum." Darn, why do people keep calling me that? Oh wait, my line is coming up:

And the world looks so much brighter, (**brighter, brighter,)**

With you by my side, **(by my side.)**

"Maximum, just admit it! You are enjoying singing with this boy!" Maybe I was. But it's not like I'm going to tell this, uh, Voice that!

_Voice, just admit it! You're annoying the crud out of me!_ Am I insane, or did I just here the Voice sigh?

I kept glancing at my singing partner, and for some reason he kept glancing at me, like he was having trouble believing something. Huh.

_**I know that something has changed,**_

_**Never felt this way**_ I know it for real

_**This could be the start of something new**_

It might just be me, but it seems like ever since my head has been invaded by the Voice, I sort of feel more…Confident? Strong? Leader-y? (If that is even a word.) But it's almost like I've changed. Like I'm becoming someone else.

I glance at _him_ again, and this time our eyes met. For a split second I was flying in sky next to this dark-haired boy. I look around, and see that there are four other kids with us: One boy has red hair and blue eyes that sightlessly stare forward. Another kid, a girl with frizzy brown hair and dark skin is talking to him at a million miles a minute. A little boy, maybe ten or eleven years old is next to a blonde little girl. The girl looks up and smiles at me, a smile that is all too familiar. The girl is Angel.

But the most extraordinary thing was that all of them had wings. As in, _bird wings. _I glanced behind me, and I see that I have them, too.

Brown and white, speckled, maybe 13-feet long.

The dark haired boy looks at me, and I see him mouth one word: Max. Then his skin color, hair, eyes, everything, transform into _him. _Miracle Boy, my singing partner. And I was back on stage, just like that.

_**It feels so right to be here with you, oh**_

_**And now, looking in your eyes**_

_**I feel in my heart**_

The Start of Something New

Something is going on here. Something unnatural, obviously. I mean, okay, I have a nightmare where a scientist calls me a name other than my own, and then tells me I am going to lose my memories. I then wake up, and I'm forced to do Karaoke with some boy that is a complete stranger to me, yet I feel as though I've known him my entire life. On top of that, add a voice that is in my head, besides my own. And as if _that's _not enough, the song, which has the lamest lyrics _ever, _seems to fit in with everything that is happening. Observe _him _singing to me:

**I never new that it could happen **

**'till it happened to me, oh yeah,**

Perfect example! Who would've thought it was possible to be Avian-American? Whoa, hang on. Avian-American? Where the he-eck did that come from? And did I just say that I _was _Avian-American?

_**I didn't know it before**_

But now it's easy to _**see, oh**_

_**It's the Start of Something New**_

_**It feels so right to be here with you, oh**_

_**And now, looking in your eyes**_

_**I feel in my heart,**_

Looking in his eyes…Hmm. His eyes are blue, like this electric-y blue, but it keeps reminding me of that other boy, the dark-haired one that called me Max. I keep wanting to call him something related to the name Nick, but that isn't his real name, I can tell. Whatever, it's the best I can do for now. I feel in my heart, that he and I are connected somehow, something in a past life…Or a past memory! That's it! …I think?

_**It's the Start of Something New**_

_**It feels so**_ _**right **_to be here with you, _**oh**_

_**And now, looking in your eyes**_** (looking in your eyes)**

Now he was singing to me again, and he kept moving closer to me. Eventually I just backed up - and almost fell off the stage. Typical Gabriella move. Thankfully someone in the crowd pushed me back up and I didn't make a _total _idiot of myself.

I feel in my heart **(feel in my heart)**

The Start of Something New 

**The Start of Something New**

The Start of _**Something New.**_

He and I sort of just stood there, staring at each other, kind of oblivious to the crowd cheering around us. Finally, I guess he snapped out of it, 'cause he holds out his hand and goes, "Troy." And so I smile, take it, and say, "Gabriella."

* * *

Troy's POV: 

"But seriously, you have an amazing voice! You're a singer, right?"

Gabriella. She seems pretty familiar, like I know her, but I don't know why. Actually she reminds me of the girl from my dream, the blonde haired one. Which is kind of ridiculous, 'cause they look nothing alike. But still, after what happened on stage, the whole 'looking-in-her-eyes-and-transported-to-the-middle-of-Nowhere-with-some-familiar-blonde-girl-for-a-split-second,' thing, you kinda start to think anything could be possible. Like _her_ being a famous singer.

"Just church choir is all," Gabriella was saying. "I tried to solo and l nearly fainted." Huh? What is she talking about?

"Really? Why is that?"

"Well, I took one look at all the people staring at me, and the next thing I knew, I was staring at the ceiling. End of solo career." She smiles, and she sort of just…Changes. Her hair color shifts, skin color, but the only two things that stay the same are her eyes, and her smile. As I'm staring at her, someone says, "Maximum Ride."

_Say what?! _I ask myself.

"Maximum Ride. Gabriella is really Maximum Ride, but she doesn't know it yet." The voice in my head is a girl, maybe nine or ten years old. "C'mon, Troy. You know what I'm talking about!" _Actually, I couldn't be more confused,_ I tell the girl. I hear a frustrated sigh, and I get the impression the girl is rolling her eyes at me.

"The girl from your dream?" She says in a you-couldn't-be-any-dumber tone. And I realize she is right. Maximum Ride is the girl I've been dreaming about.

_Great. But that doesn't explain why I'm dreaming about her. _The girl sighs and says, "She's expecting a response out of you, ya know."

Gabriella, I mean Maximum, what a name, is looking at me and I realize I should have said something by now. So I just say what I'm thinking. The sane part. "Well, with the way you sang tonight, I find that pretty hard to believe."

Yeah, it' also pretty hard to believe that I've have a ten year old in my head. I hear the girl grumble, "You think I _want_ to do this?!" Which makes me smile. What? It was funny.

So then, her eyes stare into mine, shining brightly. "Well, that's the first time I've ever done something like that, and it was _so cool!"_

Being the dork head that I am, I reply with, "I know! Completely!" I'm completely in love with her. And I just met her. But if you think about it, if she's really Maximum Ride, I could really be someone else, which would totally explain the forgotten history that could be between us. Because that's how I feel. Like I've been in love with her for a looonnnggg time, but she doesn't know. I think. But if I cared about her that much, you'd think I would realize when _she was talking_. God, I'm a nutcase.

"Well, you sounded like you did a lot of singing, too." Sorry? I don't think I heard you right. Did I look like a singer? Guess she doesn't know someday I want to become an emo hottie that barely talks. Not that my dad would allow it.

So I just say, all charm-ily, "Yeah, I know. My shower head is very impressed with me." She laughs, and then everyone is shouting:

"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!"

Fireworks flash in the sky, and Gab- I mean, Maximum, smiles. It's almost like she's never seen them before.

As I'm looking at her, she looks up, and there it is _again._ Rush of emotions. An emotion explosion. Why can't these stupid things just stop?! But this time it's different.

Now we're in a science lab, both of us strapped to tables. Disgust and fear fills me. I know this place.

We are at the School.

School, with a capital S. As in, not your elementary school.

This, my friends, was the School of Psycho/Sicko Scientists.

I glanced over at Maximum, who was staring at the ceiling. Apparently she didn't know how much danger we are in right now.

"Well, tell her, then!" irritating little girl snaps. "If you love her, help her out!" I'm really starting to not like this kid.

I hear footsteps getting louder, and I know someone is coming to the room. Someone evil, most likely. I'm running out of time.

"Listen," I say hurriedly. "Maximum- look, that's too long. Can I just call you Max?" She nods, sort of numbly, like she is having trouble believing this.

"Max, we need to get out of here!" But I know it's too late. The door opens and a group of people, all wearing white coats, enter the room. One is carrying a tray of needles, and a syringe with some injection.

I look at Max; realization dawns in her eyes, and I know she knows who they are. The Whitecoats are back. She looks at me. Her gaze filled with something I couldn't place. Not fear, but almost…Anticipation? Like she knows what is coming, and knows she can't avoid it.

"Well, fix that! Find a way out of this mess!" Little Girl snapped. _Why do you care so much about Max? _I asked, sort of confused.

"It's not gonna matter if you let her get hurt! You'll be too dead to care!" Ooh, she's good for a ten year old.

"And if you really care, I'm _nine._" Oh, sorry. Big difference. "Just save Max, you idiot."

The Whitecoat was coming towards Max with the syringe, so I went, "Stop!" As in, stop coming towards her, stop being evil, stop this moment in time, _Right NOW!_ And it did. Everything just,

Stopped.

I was moving, thinking at least, and so was Max. I could see her, kind of stunned, like, "And how did I get myself into this mess, again?" I needed to do something. Something to save her.

"Wait." Says the little twerp inside my head. "Think this through."

_Could you try to be less helpful? _I snarl.

"You, uh, _thought_ that you needed to do something to save her. You might be underestimating her. Never Underestimate a Girl." She said smugly. Oh, my God. Next she'll be quoting Britney Spears.

"Uh, _no._ Britney Spears is So Yesterday. Anyways, the _point _is that maybe Max doesn't _need _your help. Though she might want it." It sounded like the kid was smirking.

_This is Max_, I thought to myself. _I bet she could save the world. Hmm. Let's see if she has any ideas._

"Max?" I ask quietly, and she jumps, and then turns to look at me. "Do you have any ideas?"

She looks at me. Like, _really _looks. Then she smiles.

"Hold out your hand." She says all happily. So we stretch our hands towards each other, closer, closer, until our fingers are touching. I tingly feeling runs through my body, and I hear the voice in my head, the girl, say, "Wow, you've got it bad, don't ya? But look on the bright side. You got a new power! Now you can stop time!"

"Please, Voice. A little power?" I dimly hear Max saying. _Huh, I_ tell **my** Voice. _Looks like Max has a new power, too. And a annoying Voice in her head. _

The last thing I see before we disappear is a doctor, a scientist, glaring at me. His eyes are like poison, even though he is frozen to the spot.

_Ha ha, _I tried to mentally direct my thoughts to him as Max and I vanished.

_Take that, you jerk._

Then I was back. Great. To the party, I mean. With fireworks. Yay!

But if I'm there with Max, it can't be that bad, right? So, we just stand there, staring at each other. Then I notice that our fingers are still touching. We quickly pull apart, blushing.

"Well, I guess I better go find my mom and wish her a Happy New Year," Max says, looking at the ground.

"Yeah, me, too." I say. "I mean, my mom, not yours. And my dad." She nods, and I can tell she's really uncomfortable. A lump weighing down my pocket reminds me.

"I'll call you! I'll call you tomorrow!" Her face lights up and she says 'yeah' with so much emotion, it gives a new meaning to the word. So I get out my phone and tell her to put her number in. She does, and then looks up. I take a picture of her for my caller ID. Her face on my phone. It makes me feel sort of happy.

I hand her the phone and she puts in her number. I take her phone and put in a picture and a number. Hopefully she'll call me. As if.

I give her back her phone, and she hands me mine. And she smiles that beautiful smile that could light 1000 cities, I swear.

I look at my phone. The same smile, right there in front of me.

"Well," I say. "Just so you know, singing with you was the most fun I've had this entire vacation. So, where do you live?" I look up, and she's gone, not even there.

"Look down," my Voice says gently. I look at my cell, and there she is, smiling up at me. Like it's made for me. The smile, I mean.

"Oh, and Troy," my Voice says, snapping me out of my thoughts. "It might be a better idea to call her Gabriella until she finds out on her own time what her life mission is. And, just so you know, Troy isn't your real name, either. But for now, you're Troy, and she is Gabriella."

I nod my head. "Gabriella."

But I can still call her Max in my head.

* * *

**Norah: Okay, you guys! Hopefully you liked it. Please review and tell me what you think! And remember, I'm still taking suggestions for the title and the plot.**

**I love reviews. (hint, hint)**

**:)NorahJones**


	4. The history of Troy

Thank you to my reviewer, AsanteSanaSquashBanana. Your review really meant a lot!!

Okay, so I'm not going to do Get'cha Head in The Game right away, because, frankly, that is my least favorite chappie. So _instead,_ I did a short bonus: The History of Troy. It's only 200 somethin' words, so you could skip it. But please, at least **two** reviews?! I'm really ready to stop posting this story. I guess people don't like reading it...

I do not own Maximum Ride (sob) or High School Musical (cheer). Now on with the chapter!

* * *

So, kids, the first thing on our agenda is a little background info on yours truly, me, Troy!

I know! Can't you just _hear _the cries of exclamation? For example, "Yay! Troy! Just what I always wanted!" While others are crying, "Boo! Troy! Just who I always hated!" Whatever. The author thinks that this little chapter is important, so since it's here, you should probably read it. Just FYI.

Anyways, as you probably know, I go to East High in Albuquerque, New Me-hi-co, as the captain of the basketball team. The Wildcats. Yippee. I live with my mom, dad, (the creepy Jeb guy,) and my little bro, Zephyr. Which is kind of funny. I should probably explain.

So Zephyr, in Greek mythology, is the West Wind. And Zeph is…pretty gassy. It might actually make more sense if he was name the Gasman, or something. But he, my brother, can mimic any kind of sound or voice. It's pretty cool. And he has the disturbing ability to build bombs. Pretty well for a ten-year old, at least. Which leads us to my best bud, Chad.

I've known Chad my entire life, ever since dad says we met in preschool. As you most likely guessed, I don't believe dad. And now, all of the sudden he doesn't seem like dad. He's just…Jeb.

And I'm just Troy, even though I feel like my name should be something else, something mysterious, and powerful. Okay, now the author is telling me to shut up. Something to do with an Angel?

Until next time! Or, uh, I mean, next chapter!

* * *

**Okay, yeah, I know. That was a lame chappie. The next one is sort of long though. It will be called Angel Amoung Us, and it will be a bonus chappie with Max- uh, I mean _Gabriella, _and Angel. I will post it on Wednesday...That is, if you review.**

**:) NorahJones**


	5. Sorry!  Almost done

Okay, sorry this is taking so long for me to update.

Thank you to my lovely reviewers, virtual prizes to all of you!

Next chappie is ALMOST DONE!!

Please don't hate me...

:)Norah


	6. Angel Among Us sorry for the wait!

**AN: Okay, I'm really sorry this took so long to put up, guys. I was gone for a looooonnng time, and I was just...busy (-cough-LAZY!!!-cough) Anyway here it is, Angel Among Us. **

**Bold Angel's thought messages. (most of the time)**

_Italic The Voice (most of the time)_

Underline Max's response. (all of the time???)

**Please remember reviews are love, plus they encourage me to write more quickly. Thanx:)**

* * *

Hey. Gabi's back. Tell a friend!

So, in order for my story to make sense, I should probably make some things clear. My mom is named Valencia. Valencia _Martinez. _I know: A little wacky, right? But she just says that when my dad left, due to mysterious causes, she kept her maiden name.

About the father that left; it's sort of like an unsaid rule in my family. Nobody really talks about him much. Out of sight, out of mind. The one time I asked my mom about him, she just said he had a really important job, and he went missing on a business trip. But that's okay. Mom and my baby sister are enough family for me.

My sister is an Angel…So that's what I named her. I asked mom if it was okay, and she looked at me, sort of startled, and then smiled.

"I couldn't think of a better name myself." She told me, so she's been Angel ever since.

Ange is nine, and totally adorable. She has blonde hair and big blue eyes. Which is weird, 'cause she looks nothing like me. Or mom, for that matter. Hmm.

I walked out of my room in my new house. We had just moved, again. Now I'm living in good old Albuquerque.

So I go down into the living room. Where is my mom? Then it hits me. That…smell.

Someone was making chocolate-chip cookies.

"Hey," I say as I stroll casually into the kitchen. My eyes dart around the room and then lock down on the tray of cookies coming out of the oven.

"Good morning, Gabi." My mom smiles as I snatch a good eight cookies off of the tray. "Watch it! They're still hot!"

As I burn my tongue and throat swallowing down each cookie in record speed, mom is watching and I suddenly remember something. But is it from _my_ life?

_**Flashback:**_

**I'm standing in someone's kitchen watching the oven. The kitchen is filled with an aroma I'm all too familiar with. **

**"Watched cookies never brown," A woman says in a teasing voice, and I look up to see…My mom?! But then the oven dings, signaling the wait is over. I put a cookie in my mouth and try to swallow, but I never gave it a chance to cool. I almost burn my tongue off, of course. **

**Another girl is in the room with us, and by the way she moves around my mother I can tell she is her daughter- or my sister.**

_**-End Flashback-**_

But if Angel is my sister, why wasn't she in the room with us? But then I mentally compare Angel, my baby sister, to me, mom, and my other sister. She looks nothing like the three of us. Angel, I mean. Her blonde hair and blue eyes don't fit with my caramel skin and brunette locks. Something is going on here, besides fabulous cookies.

"Mom, I need to talk with you about Angel." I say quietly, and I immediately have her attention. Her smile vanishes, and worry flows into her brown eyes, so similar to mine.

"Oh, no." She whispers, panic evident in her voice. "Did something happen?"

So I look at the ground, trying to think of how I should phrase my question. This isn't the easiest thing to ask.

"No," I say finally. "She's fine. I guess I was just thinking- I mean, why doesn't she look anything like us?"

Suddenly my mom knows what I'm talking about. "Oh!" She says, and lets out the breath she had been holding, making a big gushing noise.

"Well, she's…Adopted." I nod, 'cause now it all makes sense. Except for the bond I have with Angel. It's like we're _almost_ best friends; we love each other, but we don't feel the need to go shopping, or whatever normal girls do. But then again, Angel is nine.

"By the way, Gabriella." Mom calls as I turn to leave. "What is with the cookie obsession?" I glance to the tray, which before held two dozen cookies, and somehow now was empty. I look at mom and smile.

"Well, now I guess we know who stole the cookies from the cookie jar, don't we?"

Judging by her laughter, I knew she didn't mind.

* * *

"Hey, kiddo!" I say as I skip into Angel's room. She smiles at me and I sit down on her bed. "So how's it going'?" I ask as I give her a hug. "The headache doing a bit better?"

She sort of slouches in her seat, but says, "Yeah, my head is feeling better. The headache is almost gone, but I heard your conversation with mom. Oh, sorry. I mean _your_ mom." She looked so sad, I almost started to cry.

"Hey," I say gently. "Look at me, Ange." She looks into my eyes. Good kid. "Mom and I will always love you!" I say, gently punching her shoulder. "To us, you will _always_ be part of our family. You got that?" She smiles. "Now that is what I want to see." I say as she hugs me.

"So," Angel says a minute later. "If I'm not your baby sister any more, what does that make me? Your baby, figuratively speaking?" I think about it, and I know it makes sense. Angel has always been like my baby. I would do anything if I had to save her.

"Baby!" I say, smiling, and I know I've made the right decision by the way her face lights up.

"Awesome!" Angel tells me, laughing. "By the way, how did the singing with that cute boy go?"

I guess I looked stunned, because Angel bursts into another fit of giggles.

"How did you know about that? You weren't there!" More laughter.

"Know…about…what?" Angel pants, clutching her side. She must have been laughing really hard. "The…singing…or the…cute boy?"

Laughter must be contagious, because soon I was rolling on the ground, holding my stomach, and I didn't even remember what was so funny.

Eventually, we caught our breath and just laid there on Angel's bed.

"Uh, Gabriella? What would you say if I told you I could read minds?" Angel says suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts of "Troy".

"I would ask you to tell me what I'm thinking of right…Now!" And for some reason, the thing a thought about was a library. A public library.

It was almost like I didn't have control over my own mind. _Max, you're right. I'm just giving you a little push in the correct direction right now._

Gee, thanks voice! Stupid, mind-invading, over-protective, non-helpful, _jerk._ Wait, Angel could be listening to my thoughts right now. Oops.

In my minds eye, I went into the library, and zoomed in on the author's last name, in the fiction section. I skimmed down the row until I came to…

Patterson, James?! But the first book by Mr. Patterson falls off the shelf, and when I see the cover, I understand. The title of the book?

Maximum Ride.

So this is the little push the Voice is giving me. _Thanks._

I hear Angel let out a gasp, and I come back to reality. Angel's blue eyes are searching my brown ones frantically.

"Maximum Ride?" She whispers, and I nod. 'Cause she can.

Angel can read minds.

* * *

"Hurry up, Gabi!" Angel cries.

I kiss mom on the cheek. "Thanks for dropping us off," I tell her hurriedly. "We'll be home in about…An hour?" She nods and drives off, leaving me on the sidewalk outside the library. Angel is already at the door, impatiently, waiting for me.

I run up the front steps, and they seem to go by faster than usual. When I get to the top, Angel is staring at me, stunned. I fluff my hair, straighten my shirt.

"What?" I ask, sort of worried. "What's wrong?"

Angel shakes her head, and says, amazed, "Did you see how _**fast**_ you went up those stairs?!" She cries. "I didn't know you could _**move**_ that fast!" I gently tapped her on the head.

"Angel, what did you eat for breakfast? I didn't go fast at all; in fact, I'm not even breathing heavily!" But I'm thinking about how I should be panting. That was a looonng flight of stairs. Not even _**I'm**_ that athletic. And from the look on Angel's face, I can tell she knows what I'm thinking, too. She smirks at me, and I scowl at the ground. Stupid mind-reading powers.

"C'mon, let's go!" I snap, but I grab Angel's hand to let her know that I'm not mad at her.

She literally drags me to James Patterson's books, reading minds to save time. Angel snatches the first book under his name, The Angel Experiment. She gasps, because on the cover is a blonde-haired girl that is incredibly familiar to me. The girl I keep seeing when I look into the mirror. The girl I keep seeing in my dreams. This girl- she has to be Maximum Ride.

Angel reads the back to me:

_"Welcome to my nightmare."_ She looks up, and smiles at me. "Happy girl, huh?" I smile back, still slightly stunned, and Angel continues.

"_Her full name is Maximum Ride. She's 98 human, 2 __**bird**__. And the girl can __**fly."**_

Angel gasps again, and I distractedly notice that a lot of gasping has been going around, lately.

"What?" I ask tiredly. What could possibly be the problem **now?**

She looks up again, her face shows how surprised she is. "Wings!" She whispers. "Max must have wings!"

"_Max's Missions:_

_Protect the rest of her gang- Fang, Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel- from a pack of half-wolf, half-human mutants with a taste for flying humans."_

I snatch the book out of her hands.

"Angel?! One of the kids is named Angel?!" Angel nods in a daze. Oh my God.

I continue to read in my head. If Angel needs to, she can listen in my head. Plus, if I read out loud, I might start shouting.

_Rescue Angel from a crew of wack-job scientists._

You have got to be kidding me. Angel? **Kidnapped?!**

"Gabi!" Angel hisses, looking around. "Lower the volume! We are still in a public library."

"Sorry." I mutter. Who would kidnap my Angel?

_Infiltrate a secret facility and track down missing parents. _

Why would they need to do that?

"Max." I hear Angel say, almost to herself.

"MAX!" I automatically look up at Angel.

"What?" I ask irritably. Angel smiles.

"I knew it!" Angel sings. "I kne-ee-eew it!"

"Knew what?!" I almost shout; now I'm getting annoyed. Angel is opening her mouth to respond when the librarian comes down the isle.

"Will you two brats keep it down?!" She screams. I'm about to point out she was louder than we were, but Angel's look tells me to save it. She's got this one covered.

"Yes, ma'am," She says sweetly, and the librarian gets this blank look on her face, then she just…leaves. Angel smiles and I know something is up, but The Angel Experiment is heavy in my hands and it reminds me that I could be holding the answer to all my questions.

_Find the best chocolate-chip cookies in all of New York City. _

I snorted. "Well that's easy." I tell Angel. "Dr. M makes the best cookies in the world!"

Hang on. **Dr. M? **Since when did I refer to my mother as Dr. M?

Angel rolls her eyes. "Just keep reading, Max."

"My name is **not** Max!" I tell her. "I'm Gabriella!" Now **she **snorts. "Whatever."

_Figure out what she really thinks about Fang. _

"Ooh, M-Gabriella has a crushy-wushy!" Angel teased, making me smile.

"Sure, Mangel."

But I'm thinking of that boy, the one I say with? Troy. I keep thinking about him. And was it just me, or did that whole thing seemed planned out? I mean, this is like some insane script to some bad Disney film.

"What's wrong with Disney?!" Angel demanded. Oh yeah. I forgot she still watched that stuff.

_Get revenge on the one person she thought she could trust._

"Great!" I said, tapping the book. "Fun times!"

_Save the whole world, for crying out loud._

Angel smiles. "Well, I guess you have got the weight of the world in your hands, huh?"

But I'm staring at the book. It's like that line, Save the World, changed something in me. It's like I've been hearing that line my entire like.

_Save the world, Max._

Maybe **I **was meant to save the world.

What if I was MR?

"Told ya," Angel says, smiling. "I knew you'd realize eventually. But Max, don't worry. I'll be with you. I'm part of your 'gang'."

That makes me feel a lot better. The world can fall apart and my baby Angel will still be with me.

I hear Angel make a squeak of happiness, and I look down to see her pulling two more books off the shelf. At my questioning glance, she says, "the sequels!" And I smile.

* * *

About half an hour later, Angel and I are waiting for Dr. M to show up. Angel has the three books in her arms, the three books that hold our lives. Hopefully once I read all three, those weirdo memory things will stop. It's kind of funny, though. These scientists wanted to start over, so they get rid f our memories and brainwash everyone into thinking I'm Gabriella Montez. Whoever she is. But then they just leave the MR book series in the public library! These guys must be idiots.

Mom pulls up and sees all the books in Angel's arms.

"Good series?" She asks, raising an eyebrow. I'm not quite sure if I can trust her with this or not. The Whitecoats could have brainwashed her, too, or she could have chosen to work for them. As much as I love her, she could be a spy.

"Yep." I say, lying on the spot. This turns out to be a new talent I just discovered. "MR is awesome! A friend recommended the series to me. I just wish they weren't fiction." I added in a wistful voice. Hee hee. Now if anybody had been watching us, they wouldn't have a clue.

"I'll have to read them after you." Mom says. "I think I've heard of the author before…" From mom's tone, I could tell this wasn't about James Patterson's popularity; Mom was trying to find the answers to her own questions, too.

_Hello, Maximum._

I mentally sighed, and Angel looked at me in concern. Just some stupid Voice that lives to invade my head, I told her, hoping the Voice was listening. Angel nodded and pretended to look out the window.

Wow! You've really got the mind-reader thing down! I tell her proudly, and in the reflection of the window she nods and smiles.

_Maximum, these books will not solve all of your problems. You need to look at the bigger picture. It might not seem so, but this is all a test. _

I rolled my eyes.

First of all, the books will solve most of my problems, but you are just creating more by talking to me. If it was healthy to have an additional Voice in my head, I think my doctor would have told me. 

_Maxi-_

Secondly, you usually get to study for tests, which is not the case here, under any circumstances. I'd call this more of a…Pop Quiz. 

Angel was trying so hard not to laugh, she looked ready to pee in her pants.

_Maxim-_

And finally, if you want to stay in my head, (and I do know ways to get you out,) I suggest you stop calling me Maximum. 

_Why? That is your name. And I'm here to help guide you in your mission. _

Voice, you call me Max, or don't talk to me. I'm not going to answer to Maximum! 

Max,_ it doesn't make a difference what I call you as long as I guide and assist you in your mission. _

Okay, then. Right now my mission is plan GTVTLMA. How 'bout a little guidance? 

_I'll do what I can. But what is Mission GTVTLMA?_

I snorted. Some help he is.

If you must know, it stands for Get The Voice To Leave Me Alone. Now how about you help and buzz off?

My head went quiet, and I smiled.

Max: 1, Voice: 0

"Oh yeah, Gabi; I forgot to tell you. Tomorrow is your first day at East High!"

Just kill me now.

Max: 0, Whitecoats: 1

_Don't worry Maximum. You will __**always **__still have me!!!_

**And me, MAX.**

Angel's emphasis on my new nickname made me smile. At least **someone **had learned something today.

But it still nags me that these sorts of things only happen in movies…

How is it possible that this is real life? Unless…

_To Be Continued…_

* * *

AN: **Hopefully, soon! But next chapter is going to be a challenge for me, I'm not really into HSM, and Getcha head in the Game is my least favorite scene. It might take a couple weeks to write, let alone, post. Remember, Suggestion, con-crit, and whether or not you liked this chapter is always welcome. **

**Plus, no reviews means no next chappie!!!! (-sob-) Please review for the sake of the story, if not me!**

**thanks again:**

**:)NorahJones**


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